Chapter 5

Of course, hope is just hope. No one knows how things will actually develop, so it’s best to be cautious.

When Su Yan repeatedly warned her, she nodded vigorously. If she got exposed, it would be disastrous. While Su Ci and her sister were privately anxious, the team was moving quickly.

On the surface, it appeared to be a forced march, but in reality, a dangerous slaughter and struggle had silently begun in the vast, dry, yellow mountains.

At first, neither side made any rash moves due to resource constraints.

But Yang Yanzong had leverage and quickly set the bait. Su Rong performed admirably and was soon targeted by Liang Shen’s side.

Yang Yanzong began to play a strategic game, skillfully maneuvering.

Their advantage was an ample supply of resources, especially water.

Liang Shen’s large force had soldiers who could find field mice, but with so many people, the food from mice and their burrows was insufficient. The rations brought from the military town were rapidly depleting. If this continued, they would have to kill their horses.

Military horses were precious, more so than soldiers. Killing these 800 horses would make it hard to avoid punishment upon return. So, unless absolutely necessary, Liang Shen wouldn’t resort to it.

Water was an even more serious issue. While food was running out, they still had some, but water was critical. In these mountains, the optimal path had its pros and cons. Water carts couldn’t pass, and large water bags had limited capacity. Both people and horses needed water, and without it, they would soon die.

In this weather, the large force from the military town couldn’t make any big moves and was very passive. They didn’t dare venture deep into the mountains, even though they were close.

Wild animals also needed to survive. The dense forests and strong root systems retained water, so there might still be surface water, but no one dared to go there. All large animals had retreated into the deep mountains, making the area extremely dangerous.

In this situation, Yang Yanzong’s strategic maneuvers were highly effective, and the situation was progressing according to his plan. The enemy tried hard to uncover their water source secret, but it was too difficult. Each time they left a campsite after fetching water, Yang Yanzong would burn the area within a hundred meters, destroying all traces.

The benefits of having fewer people are evident. These hundred or so soldiers have been Yang Yanzong’s personal guards for many years. This time, they all volunteered to come from the military town, showing high loyalty and familiarity with each other. There were no spies, and no one could infiltrate them.

“It’s so hot. I’m dying from the heat!” Su Ci leaned against the tree trunk, fanning herself vigorously. The soldiers’ cloth armor was relatively simple and thin, but it was incredibly thick compared to a single-layer cloth shirt. Her neck was already covered in heat rash, but she didn’t dare to take it off.

The forced march was very fast. After running for several days, her calves were trembling, and she was almost unable to continue. Su Yan was managing well, but in this environment, she didn’t dare to carry Su Ci on her back, fearing they might encounter and be noticed by enemy scouts. Even though she couldn’t run anymore, she had to keep going. In the latter part of the journey, Su Yan had to drag and pull Su Ci along, who was panting like a bellow. As soon as they reached the ground, she collapsed and didn’t move.

Oh my, so tired and hot, I’m about to die from the heat.

Su Ci had just chosen a suitable spot. She lay under the shade of a tree, fanning herself vigorously. Over there, Su Rong had already jumped off A’ Kang’s back and started pretending to walk around and observe. Finally, she “selected” a suitable spot and informed Yang Yanzong.

To be fair, she acted quite convincingly, successfully diverting all the attention from Su Ci. Liang Shen had attempted surprise attacks before. This person, who had been entangled with Yang Yanzong for many years as a nemesis, indeed had his skills. He had successfully predicted and tracked them several times, leading to close encounters.

It cannot be denied that the enemy had horses, which allowed them to track and move quickly.

Su Rong’s role as bait was indeed dangerous. The most perilous moment was when a rope was thrown around her neck, nearly dragging her onto a horse. At the last moment, Yang Yanzong shot an arrow from his sleeve, severing the rope, but her arm was still badly scraped.

After “pointing out” the water source, Su Rong returned to sit beside her mother and brother. Her brother quickly took off the water bag and removed the stopper, saying, “Sister.”

Su Rong, with her arm injured, took the water bag a bit slowly. Seeing this, Aunt Bai angrily said, “Why did you have to do this! Others are being hidden and protected, but you had to take the risk…”

She angrily glanced at Su Ci in the distance, who was sitting next to Su Yan. In her opinion, if someone had to be put in danger, it should have been Su Yan, not her daughter!

“Mother!!” Su Rong lowered her voice and shouted. Her face instantly turned stern and severe, a rare sight for her daughter. Aunt Bai immediately fell silent, not daring to speak further.

“This is something I fought hard to achieve!”

Su Rong quickly glanced in Yang Yanzong’s direction and at Su Di. Seeing that both were far enough away not to hear, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Normally, she was very gentle, loving, and obedient to her mother, but today she was uncharacteristically stern: “Mother, you must never say such things again!”

It was hard to explain to Aunt Bai that this was about proving her own worth. She had been eyeing this opportunity for a long time, and if she didn’t seize it, she would soon be outshone by others.

When Su Ci demonstrated her knowledge, Su Rong was shocked and immediately realized that the previous displays of decorum and sisterly love were no longer sufficient. She guessed that Su Ci might need a stand-in, so she stood up without hesitation.

Su Rong touched her arm; the wound hurt, but she felt it was all worth it.

“Father is coming, Mother. Please don’t say anything more.”

Seeing Su Di go to the Su sisters to get medicine, rub Su Ci’s hair, and then walk over, Su Rong immediately stood up and smiled to greet him, “Father—”

…

Su Rong’s thoughts were mostly guessed by Su Ci, if not entirely, then at least seventy to eighty percent. However, Su Ci didn’t mind; everyone had their own goals, and this suited her just fine.

Yang Yanzong’s plan was progressing smoothly.

Su Ci watched anxiously, hoping and waiting. Just as he was about to start the final phase of his plan, an unexpected twist occurred.

While changing the medicine, Su Ci keenly sensed the adjustment in his deployment—finally, it was time to close the net!

Yay!

These days had been exhausting, hot, and nerve-wracking, causing much suffering. The plan’s smooth progress even made her father smile, and the camp’s atmosphere was much more relaxed than at the beginning.

But the sisters were hiding a secret! They forced smiles along with everyone else, but inside, they were anxious and uneasy.

Now that it has finally reached the last stage, they could finally see the dawn of the end, but at this critical juncture, the thing Su Ci feared the most still happened.

That day, there was no need to change Yang Yanzong’s dressing; he was nowhere to be found, and neither was Su Rong. Yang Yanzong had disappeared a few times before, and when he returned, there was a scent of blood on him. However, seeing his usual demeanor and changing out of his blood-stained clothes, it seemed the progress was good.

Su Ci didn’t look for him. After taking care of her father, she felt an urgent need and went to the toilet with her sister, Su Yan, accompanied by Yi Chu. The three of them greeted everyone and chose a dense, grassy hillside to walk towards.

Girls, after all, are not as convenient as men. It was better now, as they had gone deeper into the mountains where many plants, though withered, still stood, making it easier to find cover. In the beginning, the bare outskirts of the mountains were a disaster.

Su Yan and Su Ci held hands and walked about fifty meters out of the camp. Su Yan looked around and said, “Alright, this should be good.”

Here it is.

Lin Yichu was Su Di’s adopted son. His biological father was a banner officer under Su Di. The latter’s wife had died early, leaving only an old mother and a young son at home. When he died, the grandmother and grandson might not have survived. Before dying from severe battlefield injuries, he begged Su Di to take care of them, and Su Di agreed. Unfortunately, the old lady, overwhelmed with grief, fell ill and passed away shortly after. In the end, Su Di brought the then three-year-old Lin Yichu home and adopted him.

When Su Di brought Lin Yichu home, it coincided with Mrs. Chen giving birth prematurely to their second daughter. After learning that Chen could no longer conceive, Su Di planned to raise Lin Yichu as his own. An adopted son is also a son, and in the future, he could support Su Yan and her sister, even strengthening family ties.

The young couple had already discussed it and agreed. If not for the later incident with Concubine Bai, their small family would have continued to live in warmth and peace.

Lin Yichu, raised under Chen’s care, had always had an excellent relationship with the Su sisters. Hearing this, he drew his long sword, waded in to inspect the grass and surroundings carefully, then walked a few steps forward and turned his back under a big tree.

The distance might still carry some scent, but no one cared about the embarrassment. Su Yan skillfully broke off a branch, used a dagger to cut away two small patches of yellow grass, dug a pit in each, and then the sisters squatted down to relieve themselves.

The sisters occasionally looked around and whispered to each other, very proficient in their task. But who knew, just as they were about to finish, something unexpected happened!

Suddenly, there was a faint sound, like the airflow of a homemade blow dart, followed by a “puff” sound, and then Lin Yichu shouted loudly from the front!

“Who?!”

The camp ahead suddenly became chaotic. Lin Yichu drew his long sword with a “clang,” swiftly deflecting three blow darts in front of him. He grunted as he felt a sting on the back of his neck!

Although Liang Shen’s side was not good at finding water or food, they had discovered other talents. One soldier knew about poisons, could identify natural toxic plants in the forest, and could crudely make simple blow darts.

Lin Yichu was hit. Su Yan exclaimed and, having already stood up, immediately drew her dagger and rushed forward!

Su Ci was startled, quickly pulled up her pants, and hurriedly ran forward to help. As she stood up, one hand still tightening her waistband, she suddenly heard the sound of dry grass being trampled behind her. A hand suddenly reached out from behind and covered her mouth!

Su Ci was shocked! She elbowed back hard, hitting the target! The person grunted but did not let go.

At this critical moment, Su Ci’s mind flashed with thoughts of how to draw her dagger. She had already lifted one leg when the person behind her urgently whispered, “It’s me—”

Su Ci’s heart skipped a beat.

No way? She turned to look. She almost cursed out loud!

In the dim twilight, a figure in dark red clothes almost blended into the dark grass. His fair face was tanned to a wheat color, with delicate features and fairly handsome looks, his hair slightly sweaty and disheveled—wasn’t he the original owner’s lover?

Su Ci: “!!!”